COVID-19: Why we disengaged 308 temporary workers- Kano Internal Revenue Service

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The Kano Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) has sacked 308 temporary workers due to fall in Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, in the state caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The revenue-generating body had also collected the identity cards of all the affected workers.
Briefing journalists over the development on yesterday, the Chairman of the Service, Bala Mohammed Inuwa said the decision to disengage the staff had become necessary as their service is no longer needed due to COVID-19 lockdown that had caused businesses to shut down in the state.
He added that the disengagement is temporary as the Service is intended to recall the affected staff if the revenue generation is improved.
Inuwa noted that “these temporary staff were employed to go to every nook and crannies to collect tax from business operators. However, with the outbreak of COVID-19, it is apparent that businesses have been shut down, as such, these staff had been rendered idle.
“Furthermore, our revenue has fallen drastically. We can no longer pay their salary, that is why we decided to temporarily disengage then until the situation is improved,”
The chairman also added that the Service would hand over its drivers and cleaners to a consultancy company and be engaging them from time to time when the need arises.
He explained that the offices and vehicles of the body had not been functional due to coronavirus lockdown, saying “that is why the Service decided to leave them in the hand of a consultancy firm as we can not continue paying them salary with the limited resources at our disposal.
The Chairman also revealed that when he came on board in March this year, he had discovered 60 consultancy companies operating illegally after their contracts had already expired since 2018.
“We have relieved them and asked those interested to work with us to reapply,” he said.
Inuwa however disclosed that the revenue Service had lost over 70% of its monthly IGR, adding that the body is now generating N500 to N700 million as against the N2 billion it was generating monthly before the COVID-19 pandemic.